ON THE VANGUARD

PRAYER CLOSET
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:6

Back in college I was fortunate enough to be a student chaplain for two years. The responsibility of holding prayer meetings, devotional nights, and being available for the guys was totally worth all the late nights and early mornings. I believe it was partially through this that I was being prepared for what would later come, and help me on the road I am on now. One of the best benefits to being a chaplain, though, was having my own room. Granted the dorm room was small, it still came with a few benefits, such as an extra closet. Not being one who needed an extra closet, I took the term ‘prayer closet’ literal and filled the space with a chair and end table. Martha Stewart may not have been too impressed with my interior décor, but I sure was. And the carved out corner proved worthy of its calling as each morning I found myself in the closet seeking the guidance of Adonai for the men, the day, and the future.
Recently I was reminded once again of my prayer closet days. In wanting so desperately to know each next step I am to take, I was reminded by both family and friends that prayer is the answer. Even I, Chappy Dan as my guys used to call me, need to be reminded by others at times that my relationship with Adonai needs to upward focused as opposed to lateral. Adonai will use my family and friends to speak to me, but in many cases He is wanting to speak to me directly. And although I say I am listening, the question remains if I really am. Even in just thinking about this again I realize just how much I once more need to visit the prayer closet.
In Matthew 6:6 we read of Yeshua’s words concerning prayer. It is in these times we are not supposed to make a public spectacle as is seen by others, but rather we are to go into our room, closing the door and entering into prayer. The word for ‘room’ is the Greek word TAMEION, meaning storage chamber, storeroom, or more modern day, closet. I think to more so understand this thought, however, we need to look a little deeper into the Jewish dressing of the tallit. The tallit is a prayer shawl that serves as a reminder of the Shema (Deut 6:4), the 613 commands given to the Israelites, and so much more. In the near future I plan to expound more on the tallit. When a Jewish person puts on this tallit, he or she in essence enters the closet, closing off the rest of the world. It is this ‘room’ then that Yeshua refers to when He states “…go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father…”
With the world blocked off, we have access to the Father. Truth be told, we always have access, but I know for myself that I find a way to get sidetracked often in prayer. By being alone in a closet, or hidden from visual distractions, I find that I am focused. I can pour my heart out cohesively and in return, hear Adonai’s response. This seems to fit in tandem with the remainder of Yeshua’s words in Matthew 6:6 that read, “…Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” He will reward us with our response, our guidance, our peace, our assurance. The list is endless. But it all starts with prayer.
I urge you today to take a moment to go into your prayer closet and seek His face. Daily we have things that pull at us and veer us from giving Him our attention. But let us take the time to get away and seek only His face. Perhaps you have a tallit. Then take time to put it on, close off the world, and pray free of visual distraction to Adonai. If you do not have a tallit, do no fret. Take time nevertheless to get alone, maybe in a closet, or in the bathroom, or in the laundry room; just somewhere where you can be alone with the Father. He longs to hear from you, and He longs to reward you.
It is time to pray.